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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23790445">Time and Time Again</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raspy_Bug/pseuds/Raspy_Bug'>Raspy_Bug</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hidden Legacy Series - Ilona Andrews</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Kidnapping, Magic, Magical Realism, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:20:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,067</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23790445</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raspy_Bug/pseuds/Raspy_Bug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Danielle Strode wants nothing to do with Houses or Primes and is content working as a bartender for the rest of her life, but her interference in a kidnapping brings her to the attention of one of Houston's magical elite, Augustine Montgomery. </p><p>Augustine lives in a world where favors are not free, and he does not want to be indebted to the woman who saved his siblings’ lives. He would do anything to keep his House safe, though, even if it means trying to convince the most impractical Prime he has ever met to help him track down those who means his family harm.</p><p>(Edits with Chapter 1 split into two. This is a work in progress, so edits to posted chapters are likely.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Augustine Montgomery/OFC, Augustine Montgomery/Own Female Character, Background Nevada Baylor/Connor "Mad" Rogan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Time is Money</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sidecar Garage was not actually a mechanic or auto parts shop despite its name. In a previous lifetime and under a different owner, the red brick building had been a bustling repairs store. In its current life, it was a bar that served booze and greasy finger food, and while there was a garage attached, tables spread out as the bar’s open sitting area instead of cars. And the house coffee could be sold as motor oil.</p><p>Danielle ‘Dani’ Strode, one of the bar’s senior bartenders, was only two hours into her eight-hour shift. There were no patrons in the house and all of the glasses sat in neat rows behind the bar waiting to be filled. She wrung out her dishrag and wiped the countertop of the bar for the fifth time that hour, thankful for her waterproof gloves that kept her fingers from pruning. There was a persistent layer of sticky that she could never get rid of no matter how hard she tried. Years of spilt beer and poor-quality wood finish would win the battle. It was slow even for a Tuesday night though, so she continued to wage war on the poor bar top.</p><p>Another woman walked in from the back, carrying a box filled to the brim with liquor bottles like it was a paperweight. Deja Thomas was in her mid to late thirties, reached almost six-foot-tall without heels, had flawless skin the color of mocha, and registered as a Notable Magus Viribus—a strong woman. She could lift a hundred pounds with a single finger. While her magic had similar uses as telekinesis, it was limited in that she had to physically touch whatever she was lifting. It was Arcane magic rather than Mental magic.</p><p>Dani was a stark and almost comedic contrast to her coworker. She was twenty-six just shy of her next birthday, stood at five-foot-four, and had creme colored skin that was heavily freckled and more likely to burn than tan. Her wavy hair was “soft caramel brown.” At least that’s what the color label on a dye box at Target had said when she got bored once and decided to play matching colors. She was also registered as a Notable Empath.</p><p>While some would balk at two women running a bar in Fourth Ward, Dani and Deja made a formidable pair. Patrons who came in riled up or on edge found themselves gradually mellowing out as they sat, and when Dani’s Empathy didn’t do the job, any irate or overzealous customers were thrown out on their ass. Literally. Deja’s record was thirty-three yards.</p><p>As Deja finished restocking the bar and made her way back into the cellar, the bell above the main door chimed to greet three men. On weekends during the summers, when business was usually bustling and the temperatures would soar even at night, the garage doors were usually pulled open for some semblance of fresh air. It was a Tuesday night in March and the bar was empty, so the garage doors remained shut.</p><p>After a glance around the room, Dani’s new guests ignored the completely empty bar and sat at a table in the far corner. She didn’t let her irritation show as she pulled three drink menus, paused to consider, then also pulled three appetizer menus as well. Sidecar Garage was not the kind of establishment that served full entrees but recognized that people liked to eat greasy and salty food while they drank.</p><p>As soon as she was within scanning distance, Dani felt like she had stepped into a bucket of slime. Waves of malice and contempt rolled off their table that screamed “DANGER.” Dani was used to sensing a lot of emotions from her customers—rage, grief, guilt, lust—but never this level of malevolence before. She was well-accustomed to hiding her reactions to patrons’ emotions after years of experience, though. There was no pause in her stride as she came to their table and passed out menus.</p><p>“What can I get you boys?” she laid on the cheerful—If not ditzy—barmaid persona, thick like butter.</p><p>They each ordered a pitcher of the cheapest beer on tap, no water or food. When she brought their drinks around the bar, they paid her with a single large bill, told her to keep the change, and said they would holler if they needed anything else.</p><p>Breaking her usual routine of staying behind the bar if guests were present, Dani walked into the back at a pace she hoped seemed normal and not running away. She took some steady gulps of air, trying to slow the racing of her heart and sort through the red flags her brain was raising. Empaths learned from an early age to trust their instincts. Dani’s were screaming at her that these were not good people.</p><p>Dani looked down to the hundred-dollar bill that she hadn’t bothered to place in the register. The thin material of her gloves was the only thing between her fingers and the bill. Her skin ached, like it was urging her to remove the barrier. Dani found herself wanting to do just that, guided by her instincts and magic. Because the thing was, she may have been registered as an Empath, but Dani was also a Seer.</p><p>Psychometry, or Seer magic, was a Mental type that allowed the mage to know the history of any object they touched. Despite the name Seer, any one of the five senses could be involved but for a finite amount of time. A Notable Seer could usually see and hear an object’s past for a few hours. A Significant could look back at an object for a couple of weeks at most.</p><p>Dani could trace back something she touched by months or years, sometimes its entire history if the object had a strong enough essence. Her gloves kept her from accidentally seeing things because sometimes her magic just wanted to taste an object’s essence. The number of people who knew could be counted on one hand. Other than her aunt, not one of those was within her House.</p><p>House Strode was a well-off and aspiring House of Sensors. Those with sensor magic had a certain guiding intuition. A gentle push or pull towards something that felt right or wrong. The stronger the magic, the more precise the instinct. If a Sensor played poker, they could place bets without even looking at their cards.</p><p>When Dani was ten, she was tested as a Notable Empath. Not a hint of sensor magic. Her parents only ever ranked as lower-range Significants. Her grandfather had been a Prime and a cousin to the Head of the House during his time. Her family was only distantly related to the Head and main branch of the family now. With her abysmal ranking and lack of sensor magic, their line was officially considered a failing vector by House Strode.</p><p>Shortly after her twelfth birthday, her parents were killed in House warfare, deemed expendable. She was sent to live with her father’s aunt Priscilla because she was still a child and seen as a responsibility of House Strode. Living with her great aunt, who had never married because she had only ever ranked as Average, was nothing like living with her parents. Aunt Priscilla was loving and gave Dani anything she wanted, but she was firm and did not shield Dani from the cruel ways of a House like her parents had.</p><p>Aunt Priscilla was also the first to realize that Dani’s true magic had started to show in her teenage years. It began with Dani knowing things she shouldn’t, like how her aunt’s favorite Chelsea tea set was a collection from nineteenth century England. And the man who crafted them was named Thomas.</p><p>When Dani’s caretaker sat her down and told her that she was undoubtedly a Prime Seer, the older woman also asked in the gentlest voice if Dani wanted to be tested and inform the Head of House Strode. Aunt Priscilla could have immediately told the House about her niece’s ability and used the opportunity to improve her favor, but instead she gave Dani the chance to choose.</p><p>They kept it a secret, and Dani was content with staying out of House Strode’s scrutiny. She didn’t hate her House because they were family and had given her Aunt Priscilla, but she resented them for their nonchalance in her parents’ deaths.</p><p>She pulled her glove off and let her fingers hover over the corner of the bill. Her magic gave a gentle tug, pulling her to touch it. She did and her vision blurred in front of her, new images taking shape. Her magic was a lot like old televisions, where one had to adjust the antenna and play with the dial to get a proper image.</p><p>The first scene was in a car, one bill amongst a dozen others being counted as music blared in the background. Dani didn’t pay any mind to the sound and focused instead on who was in the car. The three men in the bar, talking back and forth. The one holding the money was the easiest to tune into frequency. “Fuck if the brats are worth this much. I should have lopped the little bitch’s head off after she bit me.”</p><p>“You can’t kill her. Boss’d peel you. He said we could cut off an ear or finger after a couple days if their brother doesn’t meet demands,” the man driving countered.</p><p>Dani took the time to study their faces in more detail than she had in the bar. None of them had memorable faces or features, ideal hitmen. Or kidnappers in this case. She couldn’t see the third man in the backseat but knew instinctively he was there. Tuning in further, she could tell they were in an SUV and not a car. The interior was too dark to make out any additional details.</p><p>“Are you sure Boss approved our leave? Only Teams Beta and Gamma are on site right now,” the one Dani couldn’t see asked.</p><p>The one in the passenger seat flashed something—claws—and gave a nasty smile. Was he a Metamorphose mage or Illusionist? She wasn’t sure what else could give him claws. “Boss gave me the money, so that’s permission if I’ve ever heard it. And if I’m not allowed to kill the brats, I better damn well be able to get a beer for all the trouble they’ve caused. My damn head hurts. I need booze.”</p><p>So Mr. Claws was a kidnapping alcoholic who apparently didn’t care what his boss thought. The side eye the driver was sharing with the man in the backseat through the rearview told Dani that “Boss” should have ranked higher on concerns than beer.</p><p>Dani pushed more magic into the bill, diving further into its recent past.</p><p>The problem with performing psychometry on everyday items like money was how many hands it passed through. Most of the interactions were insignificant. They didn’t stay with the owner for long and events didn’t leave much of an essence. Bills exchanged during times of intense emotion or dramatic events tended to be different though. Ransoms, pay offs, thefts, drug deals. Blood money, as Dani called it. Usually only personal items or old magical relics held such strong essences, but things like fear and rage tended to stain an item. Dani wasn’t certain if all Seers could sense those bound emotions, but she could. Maybe because she was also an Empath.</p><p>A second scene rippled like a drop of water in a puddle. The air was heavy with cigarette smoke.</p><p>Only two men were present this time, the one who gave Dani the money and a new face. It was the new man counting the money now. “Keep the men on rotation. If Montgomery’s men are so much as sighted within a mile of this building, we bug out with the two hostages. Take them out to the Gulf.”</p><p>Holy shit, he said Montgomery. These idiots have kidnapped someone from House Montgomery.</p><p>This must be Boss. He handed a wad of bills to Mr. Claws.</p><p>There were two forms huddled in the corner, their feet and hands bound by rope, mouths covered in duct tape. One was a young girl with tears streaming down her baby fat cheeks, looking barely older than ten. The other was a boy with gangly limbs, likely in his mid-teens. He had wedged his sister into the corner of the room and was trying to cover her body with his. Dani vaguely recognized their faces. They hadn’t just kidnapped someone from House Montgomery. These were the younger siblings of the Head of the House, Augustine Montgomery.</p><p>The feeling of bile rising in her throat and a hand waving in front of her face brought Dani out of the visions. Deja stood in front of her, hand cocked on her hip and looking curiously at Dani’s bare fingers against the dollar. Her coworker was one of the few who knew about her true magic.</p><p>“You were under for fifteen minutes.” Dani blinked and looked up at the clock. Time passed oddly when she used her magic sometimes. “Thought I’d snap you out of it when you started turning white as a sheet. You look like you hell, hun. Those men out there give you that?”</p><p>“Mhmm.” She could only nod absently as she pulled her glove back on.</p><p>“What made you want to look?” Deja asked, taking the money gently from Dani’s grasp. The older woman understood how Dani’s magic would draw her to objects sometimes and compel her to touch them.</p><p>“It’s bad, Deja. They’re bad men. I have to do something.” It was a strong statement from Dani, who usually was so careful with her magic and withdrawn from getting involved in matters that didn’t directly affect her. Deja frowned, her dark brow furrowing as she looked over Dani’s shoulder towards the bar room.</p><p>“What happened? Do we need to call the cops?”</p><p>Dani shook her head.</p><p>“I can’t tell you, and we can’t call the cops. They probably wouldn’t get involve. It looks like House warfare.” The concerned expression sharpened into something fierce and protective.</p><p>“Damn it, Danielle.” Uh-oh. Full first name was never good. “I don’t want you getting killed. You don’t have to stick your neck out for any of those bastards.”</p><p>Deja held a justifiable grudge after her father had been hired as a protective detail by a House and was used as cannon fodder. He was meant to guard a low-key jewelry exchange, only to find out that he was guarding the Ring of Gyges. The House who hired him had expected the hit and wanted Deja’s father to fail so they could claim retaliation on their competitor who stole the ring. It was a set-up, but Deja’s father put up too much of a fight protecting his cargo and he had died for his trouble. The House gave his family a check for one-point-four million in life insurance and their “sincerest condolences.” Deja’s family was in too hard a place to decline the money and it still sat heavy on the woman fifteen years later.</p><p>“You know if it wasn’t urgent, I’d stay and finish my shift without a second thought to what those men were doing. You know I don’t give a damn about Houses or their Primes. But this is one of those times that if I have the power to stop something bad from happening and I don’t, I’ll never be able to forgive myself.” Dani spared a glance around the corner, thankful that the three men seemed content to their own company and their pitchers of beer which were close to empty. She turned back to her coworker, who was watching her carefully. “It involves kids, Deja.”</p><p>Deja was a mother to three and Dani babysat for her on a regular basis. It was hard to fib about who broke whose toy when Aunt Dani could just ask the toy. The older woman’s face softened and she reached around Dani to give her a fierce hug. Some of her bones creaked from the pressure.</p><p>“Oh, hun. You do what you need to but you promise me that you’ll come back in one piece. Promise me, Dani.” Deja hadn’t grown up in the world of Houses like Dani had but she had her own life’s hardships and the media to tell her about the ramifications of House warfare.</p><p>“I promise, Deja. Keep the place standing tonight. I may be gone awhile.”</p><p>Dani grabbed the hundred dollar note back from Deja and tucked it into her jeans pocket. Best to hold onto any evidence, even if it wouldn’t be admissible. Houses didn’t care much about due process or courtrooms.</p><p>She planned on following the men once they left. It would do her no good to contact the Head of House Montgomery now on the premise of her visions alone. There had been no newscasts about the abduction, but Augustine Montgomery was likely already well aware that his siblings had been taken. House Montgomery was highly unlikely to admit that two of its heirs and potential Primes were missing. It would be an admittance of weakness. No. No one would know what had happened until the children were recovered and the fallout of House Montgomery crushing the perpetrators came to light. Unless an unsuspecting Seer happens upon the kidnappers.</p><p>Dani could best help by finding out where the children were. Knowing House Montgomery and its alliances, retrieval should be an easy matter once the children were located. She spared another glance to the clock. It read nine thirty-five, twenty-five minutes since she had stepped back. Hopefully her prolonged disappearance wasn’t too suspicious.</p><p>She strolled back into the bar, grabbing a couple cases of beer to restock the front cooler to give the appearance of working and to keep her hands from shaking.</p><p>The men didn’t seem interested in ordering a second round. Two of the men were talking heatedly under their breaths, while the third sat on his phone with a serious expression on his face. They continued to sit there. Five minutes. Ten minutes. Then at nine forty-five on the dot they stood in unison and made their way out of the bar.</p><p>Dani felt like someone had poured an ice bucket over her head. Nerves clamped down on her spine as she practically threw the dishrag into a bin and took off into the back of the bar, past the cellar and through the kitchen. She burst out the employee only door to the side of the building where her Nissan Altima sat. From this angle, there was no line of sight to the customer parking lot, which was good given her graceless exit and bad since she didn’t have eyes on the men.</p><p>She hopped into her car, thankful that the dark tinted windows would keep her mostly hidden from view. By the time she pulled to the corner of the building, the men were in their black SUV and sitting at the light in front of Sidecar Garage. There was just enough traffic this time of night that Dani was able to pull into a lane and follow several cars behind the SUV. Luck was on her side because there were three other black compact cars going in the same direction, so she felt mildly assured she wouldn’t be immediately picked out.</p><p>They only drove for eight minutes deeper into Fourth Ward before the SUV pulled off to park in front of an apartment building. Dani continued driving for another block before turning onto a side street and parking her car. She pulled her M&amp;P Shield pistol from the glove compartment box with its concealed holster and strapped it high around her waist, then reached into her back seat and pulled a grey hoodie over her black “SCG” t-shirt.</p><p>Grabbing her purse with her phone last, she shot a quick text to Deja with a pin to her current location. <em>Call the cops if I don’t check in within an hour.</em> She tucked her phone back into her purse then backtracked on foot towards where the SUV had parked. Her options weren’t great and if she was caught, she’d likely be killed. The alternative was allowing two children to likely be murdered which pushed her past normal self-preservation instincts.</p><p>The men had parked in front of an old apartment building with most of its windows boarded up. Perfect spot to keep kidnapped persons with no need to worry about disturbing the neighbors. There was no guarantee the Montgomery children were being kept here, though. She needed confirmation, ideally as quickly as possible. Something they had touched, or something that had touched them.</p><p>A terrible and possibly suicidal plan began to form in her mind. Dani took her gloves off, shoving them into the front pocket of her hoodie, then pulled a flask out of her purse and took several large swings of whiskey. She made sure a few gulps worth ended up on her hoodie. One of Mr. Claws’ companions mentioned there were teams patrolling. She knew that at least Mr. Claws and the Boss had been in the room where the children were being kept. She just hadn’t seen a clear path in the bill’s history connecting Point A to Point B. Surely someone else who had been in contact or near the kids had come or gone.</p><p>As she approached the SUV, she took another purposeful swig of whiskey, staggering at just the right moment that had her toppling over the trash bin. Its contents spilled out and Dani didn’t have to fake the slurry of curse words that came out of her mouth. A shadow moved beside her. A man dressed in all black feigned good samaritan, offering to help her get up and carry on her way. She may have believed the charming smile if not for the sense of enmity pulsing between them. She took the proffered hand then continued to act sloshed. Nervous giggles erupted from her throat and she prayed it came off as drunken laughter. She staggered away, trying to keep her breathing even and feet steady as she walked down the sidewalk.</p><p>Once she was several blocks away and her heart was no longer hammering in her throat, she walked into a gas station and locked herself in the women’s restroom so she could rummage through the contents of her hoodie pocket.</p><p>When she had been laying on the ground, surrounded by garbage with a potential killer looming over her, Dani had let her hands blindly pick up whatever felt her magic’s pull.</p><p>She pulled each item out now on the bathroom floor, resisting the urge to let her magic brush against their essence yet. In the span of a few seconds, she had filled her pocket with a used napkin, a plastic bottle cap, and a candy wrapper. Her bare fingers hovered over the items, gloves still in her pocket.</p><p>The napkin had the strongest pull emotionally and there was a suspicious dark red stain that kept her from immediately reaching for it. Similarly, the bottle cap had a heavy tug with only a light pull from the candy wrapper. She didn’t necessarily have the time nor the energy to delve too far into multiple items. Even though the napkin drew her in, the emotion was drawing her Empath magic more than her Seer magic. So the cap or the wrapper?</p><p>She touched the candy wrapper first and let her magic wash over it.</p><p>The scene was the same room from the money vision. The candy wrapper twisted idly in the hands of the Boss while he spoke into a cell phone. “Mr. Montgomery, I’m disheartened to hear you feel that way. I consider myself a businessman. Perhaps there are other ways of persuading you?” Suddenly the youngest Montgomery siblings are being pulled into the room, kicking and screaming. There’s no doubt that Augustine Montgomery is on the other end of the phone call, and there’s no way he hasn’t heard the noise. “You know what I want.” With that, the man hung up.</p><p>The phone flashed to a home screen and Dani spent a good deal of magic trying to pull the screen into focus. She caught the time and date.</p><p>
  <em>14:38. March 23rd.</em>
</p><p>Her breath caught and she pulled her magic away from the wrapper. Today was March 23rd. The kidnapping happened less than nine hours ago and she was almost certain the kids were still in the abandoned apartment complex. She took a risk and used a bit more magic to brush against the bottle cap, giving the napkin a wide berth.</p><p>Taste of salt, sound of sobs. Crying caused tears, and tears were salty. The young girl was crying again as her brother tried to give her some water with both their hands tied and their lips welted an angry red from duct tape being torn away. He looked around the room and Dani did, too. The cracks in a boarded-up window showed nothing but darkness.</p><p>Her heart soared and she felt hope bloom in her chest. It was dark in the vision which meant nighttime so it must have only been from a couple hours ago. Surely they were still alive!</p><p>Fingers fumbling with her phone, she texted Deja then pulled the number up for Montgomery International Investigations. It was so late, would there even be an answer? Yes, logic supplied. Leave all channels open in case someone calls with information or demands.</p><p>She pressed dial. The phone rang twice before a woman’s voice answered. “Montgomery International Investigations, how may I assist you?”</p><p>Dani couldn’t leave any doubt in the information she provided. “My name is Danielle Strode of House Strode. I am a Prime Seer. I have information that Mr. Montgomery needs to hear regarding the kidnapping of his younger brother and sister.” There was a long pause on the line, and she worried that the woman had hung up.</p><p>After what seemed like a lifetime, a man’s smooth voice replied. “Ms. Strode. I was unaware that House Strode had a Prime Seer in their midst. Least of all when records show that you are a Notable Empath at best. You must understand why I find this information hard to believe. Additionally, I am curious how you’ve come to think that either my brother or sister have been kidnapped. Even veiled threats against House Montgomery are not taken lightly, Ms. Strode.”</p><p>Anger coiled in her stomach. Anger at this man for wanting to play games when she was trying to help him save his siblings and anger at the world they lived in which made playing games like these a necessity. Dani refused to play. “5601 Sawsbuck Lane, there’s an old apartment complex. Last I saw, your siblings were alive as of nightfall. Hopefully you’re a better <em>businessman</em> than he is,” she snapped.</p><p>Then she hung up.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. In Good Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>All of Dani’s steam fizzled out in a rush as she stared at her phone. No way of knowing if Montgomery took her seriously, no clue if all the trouble she went through had actually done anything.</p><p>One missed text from Deja. <em>Don’t die</em>.</p><p>Dani wanted to curl up to laugh and cry at the same time, then realized the bathroom floor of a gas station was not the ideal location for a breakdown. She cleaned herself up a bit at the sink, washing her hands and her face at the sink. Then she unlocked the bathroom door and wandered out of the store.</p><p>She turned in the direction of the apartment complex and her car but got distracted by the line of heavy armored SUVs rolling down the street. A weight lifted from her shoulders as she realized that Montgomery must have listened to her.</p><p>She was about to text Deja for an emergency pick-up when a Wrangler pulled up next to her and the back door opened. A man wearing tactical gear and a no-nonsense expression stepped out. “Ms. Strode. Mr. Montgomery has requested I bring you to him.”</p><p>Dani sighed in resignation. There would be no escaping it. She followed him to the Jeep.</p><p>By the time they made it back to the apartment complex, half the building had been decimated and a third of it was on fire. Dani really hoped the children had been retrieved before the building collapsed or the fire started.</p><p>A quick glance confirmed <em>yes,</em> the children were safe, as they huddled in the back of a nondescript van with blankets wrapped around them and an EMT looking them over. Directly next to them was their older brother and off to the side was a blonde woman and dark-haired man. The two looked vaguely familiar but Dani couldn’t be sure from this distance. Montgomery’s back was facing her, so she could make out very little of his body language or facial expressions.</p><p>Her ‘guide’ told her to stay put and went to report to his boss. There was a deference given to the man and woman but complete attention and respect were presented to Montgomery. The blonde man stood at full attention with the interruption, no longer doting older brother but instead Head of House Montgomery. He turned, gaze following where his security team member pointed in her direction. Dani felt her face flush and resisted the urge to run away as the Illusionist Prime made his way through his men towards her. And the man was certainly a Prime.</p><p>Augustine Montgomery stood before her, an impenetrable shell of illusion magic molding him into something beautiful and intense. He was wearing a full suit, hair perfectly in place, and skin flawless like it wasn’t going on midnight. He almost hurt to look at. Dani was also painfully aware of the whiskey she had (purposefully) spilt on herself and the garbage she had rolled around in to help save his brother and sister.</p><p>“Ms. Strode. I would like to thank you for your assistance in the retrieval of my brother and sister. Their safety is no light matter. What would House Strode like from House Montgomery in return for their safety?” He had an even smoother timbre in person than over the phone, and Dani would bet money he was using his magic to shape his voice.</p><p>“House Strode has no knowledge of what’s happened today and therefore requires no compensation.” Dani used her House voice, the one her Aunt Priscilla had taught her to use when dealing with someone of ‘higher authority.’ No waver, no nonsense. Her chin was level and she looked Montgomery right in the eye as she spoke.</p><p>Montgomery’s gaze narrowed and his presence transformed from ethereal to deadly. “Then what do you require, Ms. Strode?” His words were sharp like a scalpel. “As I stated over the phone, I was unaware that House Strode begot or employed a Seer. And I find it convenient that not even a half a day has passed since the abduction that I received a phone call providing the exact location of my siblings.” His magic filled the space around him. Was it possible to use Illusion magic to make one’s presence seem larger without actually growing taller? “Tell me, how did you come across this information?”</p><p>The dangers of House business, everything was tit for tat. No one expected free favors. To do so was suspicious. Dani needed to nip this in the bud before Montgomery could spin absurd and deadly narratives in his head about her involvement. This man was a Prime, dangerous, and undoubtedly still running on adrenaline from the kidnapping and rescue. His crosshairs would land on anything he deemed a threat to his siblings’ well-being. Then eliminate it.</p><p>She pulled the hundred-dollar bill, the bottle cap, and the candy wrapper from her pocket and presented them to the man. There was no need to show him the bloody napkin. His brother and sister were safe and alive. She didn’t even know what it would show her anyways.</p><p>“I’ve never been tested before, but I can see months into an object’s past.” Only Prime Seers could see that far. She could see years further but kept the knowledge to herself. She held up the money. “But I’m still registered as an Empath. Three men walked into my bar and I could feel that they were just plain bad news. They paid with this. I didn’t have to dig more than a couple hours before I saw your siblings. I figured it was House business so I didn’t call the cops. I didn’t call anyone yet because I wasn’t even sure where the kids were. So I followed the men, faked drunk so I could rummage through their trash and find something that told me they were here and still alive.” She gestured to the wrapper and bottle cap. “Then I called MII.”</p><p>Montgomery was still and silent for a moment. He seemed to be pondering her story. “House Strode must be proud sitting on a Dark Horse of your potential.” He spoke the phrase like it tasted sour on his tongue, but for a man who valued knowledge and being unaware of other Houses’ businesses, it must leave a bad taste. “Surely there is something that I can offer that your House has neglected in a position such as yours.”</p><p>He was still trying to take control of a situation he felt had gotten out of hand. He was a spitting cobra, beautiful and deadly, and backed into a corner not knowing Dani or her intentions. He couldn’t understand why she didn’t want compensation—for saving children’s lives—or how she might use his moment of weakness against him.</p><p>“I don’t need any compensation or repayment, Mr. Montgomery. I am not a Dark Horse, and my House has no idea about my magic. I am a Notable Empath, born to a Significant Empath and a Significant Sensor. As far as they are concerned, I am a failing vector. I plan to keep it that way.” She spoke firmly, ignoring the nerves and nausea churned away in her stomach. Adrenaline crashes were a bitch.</p><p>There was another shift, a predatory glint in his green eyes. “And how do you know that I won’t share this information with the Head of House Strode? A Seer would be a powerful asset for a House or for an investigative firm.” His expression was neutral, sleek and ready to strike. She couldn’t clear the image of a snake from her mind. Montgomery switched from assessing to blackmailing her in less than a minute!</p><p>Irritation bubbled up in her throat and her mother’s temper began to surface. “I may not be a registered Prime but I am not new to this game, Mr. Montgomery. I am well acquainted with House politics, so let me cut to the chase. I’m not playing. You won’t tell my House because that would mean showing weakness. That you had no idea where your brother and sister were after they were taken. For hours. That a complete stranger had to throw you a bone. MII doesn’t just do investigations, it does surveillance and security. Both of which failed miserably today. You’d be like a hog with its belly up, waiting for slaughter.”</p><p>Dani realized that her assertive body language was being taken seriously by several of Montgomery's so-called security team now. Everyone had a gun. None of them were pointing at her, but they were no longer being discreet about holding them. She took a few deep breaths and balled her fists before she made even more an idiot out of herself. “So you won’t provide any compensation that may be traced back to what happened today, and you will have no reason to speak with my House about matters that you wish to keep privileged.” Montgomery seemed almost frozen in place and Dani suspected that there was either an expression of outrage or disbelief under that perfectly sculpted illusion.</p><p>There was a bark of laughter that jarred Montgomery out of his stillness. Dani peered around the man to see the couple from earlier approaching. “I’m suddenly feeling hungry for bacon. Breakfast for dinner, anyone?”</p><p>“I don’t need your input, Rogan.”</p><p>Dani suddenly felt very faint. Rogan—Mad Rogan. Some would say Montgomery was the man’s only friend, other than his wife, and Dani had just finished verbally lashing out at him. Called him a hog even. Dear Lord.</p><p>Speaking of Mad Rogan’s wife, the blonde woman was painfully familiar now from the media and House newsletters. Nevada Baylor, Prime Truthseeker. Dani had gone from a “No House Interaction” policy to being in the presence of two current and one former Heads, each who had some capacity to neutralize or lobotomize her. All in one night. Glancing at the two small figures in the back of the van, Dani couldn’t really bring herself to regret her decisions.</p><p>“She’s telling the truth, Augustine,” the blonde woman shared. Nevada Baylor was dressed down compared to her two male companions, wearing jeans and a hoodie very similar to Dani’s. She wasn’t covered in whiskey and garbage, though. “Hi, I’m Nevada. House Baylor slash House Rogan. It’s a mouthful sometimes.” She offered a smile and a handshake.</p><p>“Danielle Strode of House Strode.” Dani took the offered hand and was very careful of not touching any of Nevada’s clothing when they shook hands. She hadn’t put her gloves back on and personal items such as clothing had the strongest pull to her magic. It could be considered an act of hostility if her magic brushed any of them.</p><p>“Don’t let his prickly attitude get to you. Augustine is very relieved to know his siblings are safe and is grateful for everything that you’ve done.” She looked pointedly at said man, like a mother would a scolded child.</p><p>“I have offered a reward for her brave if not foolish acts. She has turned them down quite vehemently,” Montgomery spoke in a calm, matter-of-fact tone.</p><p>“You’re trying to buy her off, Augustine. Have you even thanked her yet?” Nevada accused, hand cocked on her hip. Montgomery looked to Mad Rogan in a gesture of “can’t you control your wife” to which Mad Rogan simply shrugged.</p><p>“She has a point,” the Scourge of Mexico offered casually.</p><p>Augustine Montgomery, Prime Illusionist, made a very put-off and <em>human</em> expression before turning to fully face Dani. His face was solemn, like it was physically paining him to do so. “Ms. Strode, as Head of House Montgomery and older brother to Marcus and Cecelia Montgomery, I thank you for your assistance in the retrieval of my siblings. House Montgomery is in your debt.”</p><p>Dani considered his words and body language. She could feel they were sincere, feel the guilt and relief and protectiveness that lay under the man’s calm mask. She was also getting a vague sense of fear and unease. He didn’t like that she had the upper hand at the moment. If she wanted this man to stay out of her hair for the foreseeable future, she needed to act as the Houses did.</p><p>“You’re welcome for the help.” She bit the inside of her cheek. “I would like to form a contract between myself and House Montgomery.” Genuine surprise flashed across Montgomery’s face. Rogan looked like a cat that caught the canary. Nevada looked at her husband exasperatingly. “I, Danielle Strode, will not share the events surrounding the kidnapping of the Montgomery heirs outside those who are currently present unless deemed necessary by House Montgomery. I will not share any information I may have obtained during said events about House Montgomery or its associates. In return, House Montgomery and its associates are unable to share the nature of my Seer magic or the possibility of there being a Seer within House Strode. Deal?”</p><p>Montgomery regarded her very carefully. He had to know the contract was for his peace of mind only. A House contract between them would do her very little good regarding her secret, as Mad Rogan and Nevada Baylor would not be under oath to keep it to themselves. House Montgomery had the most to secure by binding her knowledge of the events. The decision was ultimately easy and Dani felt resolve the moment he decided.</p><p>“You have a deal, Ms. Strode.” Montgomery pulled out his cell phone and made a call. “Bring me a blank House contract.”</p><p>Mad Rogan was cackling under his breath and Nevada elbowed him in the ribs. It must have been a hard jab to make a man built like that wheeze.</p><p>Dani tried studiously ignoring them. Not ten minutes later, a short and balding man dressed in a crisp suit stepped out of a sedan. He set his briefcase on the trunk of the car and pulled out a blank contract. The exact terms were written down, Montgomery and Dani each signed, then Rogan and Nevada signed as witnesses. The lawyer handed her one copy of the contract and placed the other in his briefcase. Immediately, Montgomery dismissed himself and went back to his siblings.</p><p>His emotions were more stable now, at least.</p><p>All at once, Dani felt the weight of the day. It was pushing one-thirty a.m. She technically had an hour and a half left of her shift at the bar, but the idea of going back to work tonight was appalling.</p><p>She shot Deja a quick text <em>Still alive. Can’t talk about it. I’m heading home. I’ll cover your closing shifts for a week. Give the boys hugs for me. &lt;3</em></p><p>The reply was quick. <em>Close for a week and babysit one night so Daryl and I can go out.</em></p><p>Dani sent back a thumbs up emoji and put her phone back in her purse. Nevada and Rogan had disappeared after the signing. There were still a couple aquakinetic mages attempting to put the fire out. Deciding there was nothing else for her to do there, Dani left and made the one block trek to her car.</p><p>The Altima was where she left it, sitting under a streetlight on a no outlet side street. Dani unlocked the door and slid into the driver’s seat. She looked over the contract in her hands. There was a business card on top the papers with a phone number listed; her first guess was Montgomery’s personal cell.</p><p>Tossing the papers into the passenger seat, she pulled onto the main road and began her drive home. Not even five minutes into her drive and a glance in the rearview spotted a familiar Jeep Wrangler. Her nerves were too fried for any more stressors. She dialed the card’s number and pressed call. Montgomery picked up after one ring. She had guessed right.</p><p>“Ms. Strode.”</p><p>“Why are you having me followed by your security detail?” Dani asked point blank. Her brain was too tired to beat around the bush.</p><p>“Our team was able to dispatch eleven of the thirteen kidnappers on site. The presumed leader was nowhere to be found. Another man escaped after tearing through two of my men.”</p><p>“Mr. Claws.”</p><p>“I beg your pardon?”</p><p>“One of the men I saw in my visions had claws. I was calling him Mr. Claws in my head.” She couldn’t keep from babbling. She really needed some shuteye.</p><p>“Yes well, <em>Mr. Claws</em> and his boss managed to escape. The security detail is to assure you make it home safely.” And to confirm you’re not working with the kidnappers went unsaid.</p><p>“Hmm, thank you then.” She made a left turn and the Wrangler followed.</p><p>“Ms. Strode, I’d like you to consider coming to MII tomorrow. There are a few things about what you saw of my sibling’s kidnappers that I’d like to discuss.” His voice was rich like honey and Dani had to keep from nodding off as she drove. Come to my lair. Let me use your magic that no one else knows about for my personal use.</p><p>“Hmm, nope. Not interested. You have your siblings back, my work is done. I’m tired. Goodnight, Mr. Montgomery. Thank you for the escort home.” She was too tired to think about how terrible an idea it was to hang up on the Head of a House. She did it anyways.</p><p>Dani pulled into her driveway and parked. Her bed was calling to her from inside, but she desperately needed a shower and change of clothes first. She pulled her keys out to unlock the door and waved to the men sitting in the Wrangler at the street. She wondered idly how long they planned to park there then realized she really didn’t care.</p><p>After a quick rinse off so she didn’t smell like the bar floor, Dani meandered into her bedroom wrapped in an obscenely fluffy bathrobe. The red numbers on her alarm clock blared in the dark. <em>02:11 A.M.</em> Twelve hours ago, the two youngest Montgomery siblings had been kidnapped. They were now safe at home, likely under the careful eye of their brother and enough security to lock down a military base.</p><p>Dani went to bed without bothering to put any clothes on. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Spare Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun was too bright through the window. Pulling her head out from underneath her pillow, Dani squinted angrily at the light and cursed herself for forgetting to close her blackout curtains when she went to bed. She had never been an early riser by choice and working the closing shifts at a bar made one tend to sleep in late. The thick drapes were an essential to assuring a full eight hours of <em>Z's</em> into the early afternoon. Dani had managed to get home and go to bed two hours earlier than she normally would, though, and forgot to close the curtains. So here she was waking up at an abnormally early time of nine-thirty.</p>
<p>She rolled over and pulled her phone off the nightstand, checking for any news reports on the kidnapping. There was nothing. Dani supposed House Montgomery wanted to keep things on the down low until Mr. Claws and his Boss had been apprehended. Thinking of Mr. Claws’ crazed smile from her vision made her shiver and bury deeper into her covers. </p>
<p>She closed the news app and opened her messages. Three missed texts.</p>
<p>The first one was Deja sent just a couple hours ago. It was a picture of three boys sitting around a kitchen table with a stack of pancakes that was at least two dozen high. The boys were Deja’s sons. Anton, age thirteen. Brody, age eight. Jordan, age five. They looked like cherubs in the photo with their grinning faces, but Dani knew the hellions they truly were. Deja would always stay up to cook the boys breakfast and see them off to school before going to bed. The text below the picture read <em>They miss their Aunt Dani.</em> That was playing dirty. She saved the picture to her phone anyways.</p>
<p>The second was from her Aunt Priscilla, sending her weekly “I love you and don’t see you enough” text. Dani didn’t reply and figured she would call her Aunt when she was more awake, preferably after a couple cups of coffee.</p>
<p>The last was from her boss at the Garage. Elliot Houser was a man in his late forties, laid back and well-off enough to own a bar and smart enough to know he would run the business into the ground if he was in charge. That was where Nathaniel McFarland, Elliot’s best friend and business partner, came in. Nate was the Garage’s manager and head bartender, if such a title existed. He made the schedule, placed the shipment orders, and ran the numbers at the end of every week. Deja and Dani just called him Chief.</p>
<p>
  <em>Can you do inventory check to see if we have room for some bottles of the new Pinnacles seasonals? Nate said we don’t have room. There’s Blueberry Cobbler and Pecan Pie. D:</em>
</p>
<p>Bless his heart, Elliot was a child in a grown man’s body who owned a bar and could drink alcohol. His favorites were assorted flavored vodkas, the more bizarre the flavor the better. And bless his partner’s patience with the man more. If Nate said they didn’t have room, it wasn’t because the cellar was full. The regular customers at the bar weren’t the flavored vodka type.</p>
<p>That was Chief’s problem, though.<em> Sure thing, Bossman.</em></p>
<p>Dani stood with the covers draped around her like a cocoon, mindful that she had fallen asleep without dressing. Even though her bedroom was on the second story, the wide window of the sitting area faced the street and she didn't feel like giving anyone a free show.</p>
<p>She rummaged through her dresser for a clean set of underwear and glanced out the window to look down on the street. A black Toyota Camry had taken the spot of the Jeep Wrangler on the street, its windows tinted too dark to make out if anyone was inside. It was one of the most common makes and models in Texas, so it blended in wonderfully with the other cars parked on the street. She idly wondered how long Montgomery’s men would be watching her and her house.</p>
<p>A quick glance at her weather app said the daily high was only expected to reach sixty-one degrees, which begged warmer clothes. Dani padded over to her closet. The racks looked barren. Her entire wardrobe consisted of a couple dozen outfits total if she mixed and matched creatively. When one's magic was drawn to foreign things and wanted to know their history, secondhand and thrift shops were actually a luxury that she couldn't afford. Dani's control over her magic was absolute but she tended to get headaches anytime she borrowed clothing or jewelry. Her magic wanted to nibble and lap at anything that wasn't hers to "taste" their history, so she could only buy new. New clothing, shoes, accessories. It got expensive.</p>
<p>Dani wasn't poor by any means. She worked full-time at Sidecar Garage. She had a slow trickle of income from money her parents had invested before and during their marriage, and she had been their sole beneficiary. Plus she had become an only child to Aunt Priscilla, who had no other children, nieces, or nephews to pass along her wealth. Therefore, Dani had the means to buy a house in a nice neighborhood like Bear Creek Village and live by herself without needing to split the mortgage payments. She did not feel entitled enough to spend hundreds of dollars on clothes, however.</p>
<p>Her house was advertised as a "quaint two-story bungalow" with a driveway, front porch, and fenced in backyard. The upstairs consisted of the master bedroom with a little sitting area overlooking the street and the master bathroom. The ground floor held an open kitchen, a living room with a fireplace, a second bathroom, and two bedrooms—one left as a guest room and the other converted into an office space and library. It was almost too much room for only herself, but it had just been built when it hit the market and the prospect of only her memories within the house was too appealing to pass up.</p>
<p>She finished dressing. On her way down the stairs into the kitchen, she grabbed her favorite navy and maroon hooded flannel jacket off the hook and slipped it on, feeling appropriately layered now. Summer couldn't come soon enough.</p>
<p>Dani set about making breakfast, letting her mind wander as she pulled food out of the fridge and pantry. She had skipped any semblance of dinner the night before, so she felt especially hungry. An omelet with cheese and peppers was plated shortly after she had finished spreading Nutella on her toast. No one could find fault in her appetite or her culinary skills. She ate at the counter, not bothering with the dining room table. It hadn't been used once since she had moved into the house four years ago.</p>
<p>When Dani was twenty-two and freshly graduated from college, she decided it was officially time to move out of her Aunt's house. She had lived in dorms and apartment hopped throughout her undergrad but living with other people made her skin crawl. Especially when they borrowed her things without asking. She also had to deal with the constant bombardment of flashbacks from previous tenants. There wasn't enough mind bleach to get rid of some of those images. College was disgusting. Period. So Dani threw in the towel, pulled together enough funds, and became a home owner at twenty-two years old.</p>
<p>Since graduating, Dani had worked at Sidecar Garage while deciding if she wanted to go on to get her Masters or go straight to a job in Human Resources somewhere. The running joke at the Garage was that Dani had spent four years getting her Bachelor’s in Communications and Philosophy to be a better bartender. Lots of practice talking to (drunk) people, and if she wanted a patron to stop flirting with her, she just had to pull a few of her favorite quotes from Epicurus or Plato. People tended to think it strange when asked about how much "chairness" a bar stool had.</p>
<p>She dumped her dishes in the sink to clean later. After a quick bathroom trip to brush her teeth and braid her hair, she was out the door with her keys, purse, and gloves on hand. She flashed the black Camry a peace sign as she hopped into her car. The windshield was too dark in the full sun to see through the glass. Let her creepy stalkers wonder if she could see them or not, though.</p>
<p>Her first stop was the Garage. It was bizarre walking in before noon, the chairs turned up on the tables for ease of mopping. The lights for the front were off but the back lights were on. She could hear shuffling.</p>
<p>A red head with a gruff beard and broad shoulders popped through the door. “You’re in early. Deja said y’all had a quiet night.” Chief flipped the light switch as he walked the rest the way behind the bar. He scratched idly at his beard with thick fingers.</p>
<p>Nate McFarland sported the ‘lumberjack’ look mixed with a healthy heritage of Irish and muscle definition. Actual lumberjack, not hipster lumberjack. No matter the time of year, he wore caulk boots, cargo pants, and a plaid flannel with sleeves three-quarters rolled because he physically couldn’t fit the sleeves over his forearms. When he and Deja were both in the bar, Dani looked like a midget in comparison.</p>
<p>Chief usually came in late mornings for a couple hours to do maintenance and typical upkeep for the bar. He also took the odd shift here or there, usually on nights when Deja’s boys had extracurriculars and Dani needed backup. Both Elliot and Chief had grown kids of their own and encouraged Deja to take time off to spend as much as she needed with her boys. While Deja and Dani were the ultimate tag team, Chief also made for good company when the bar was too quiet or the patrons too rowdy.</p>
<p>“Being quiet worked out well enough. I started feeling sick, so Deja told me to hit home.” Deja was the only one at the Garage who knew that Dani was a Seer. Chief was smart and Dani imagined he had suspicions at time; he never said anything, though. “I woke up too early this morning and decided to come in to see if anything needed done before tonight’s shift. Oh, and forewarning, Elliot asked me to do inventory. I’m going to text him later that we have exactly zero room for anymore vodka.”</p>
<p>Chief’s beard hid most of his scowl. “I already told him no. We still have three cases in the back.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure we can always come up with a new house special. Once summer hits, fruity cocktails are a hit. We’ll go through it all eventually. Except the banana one. We may have to just pour it down the sink and call it a loss.” There was no love lost between her and imitation banana after an incident in college. The smell alone was enough for her to turn green around the gills.</p>
<p>Nate rested his elbows on the bar and set his head in his hands. “That man is a walking headache.”</p>
<p>“Well, I’ve given you sufficient notice. I will continue to play saboteur unless he bribes me sufficiently. You’re on your own then,” Dani offered, hanging her purse on the coat rack by the door.</p>
<p>Chief snorted. “It wouldn’t take anymore than a bottle of good bourbon to bribe you. Remember who stocks the bar before you switch loyalties,” he warned lightheartedly.</p>
<p>Dani clutched her chest dramatically. “Are you implying that I would be anything but loyal to our beloved employer? Elliot is a brilliant and charismatic businessman with a heart of gold, despite his questionable tastes in liquor.”</p>
<p>“And I sign off on your paychecks,” he countered.</p>
<p>“Touché.”</p>
<p>She walked around behind the bar with him, grabbed her keys from her pocket, and unlocked the beer cooler to sort through it. “We’re out of Spring Bock, but I’m not sure if Saint Arnold is putting anymore out.”</p>
<p>Chief pulled a mini spiral notepad out of his breast pocket and a pen from behind his ear and jotted something down.</p>
<p>“Plenty of piss water, though,” she continued. Piss water—Miller Lite, Coors Lite, Bud Light, any of the lite beer varieties. Dani hated watered down beer, but she didn’t have to like it to serve it.</p>
<p>Another note on the paper. Chief set his notebook down and roughed up his beard again.</p>
<p>“I talked to Arnie.” Arnie Sanchez was the main cook. He only worked the crowded weekend nights or events. During the weekdays, either Deja or Dani would drop the food if they were working or bring on Arnie’s cousin, Matias, to help the kid make some extra cash through college. “He can work the Poo event next Thursday. Can I get you to cover with Deja? They called in with their headcount and we’ll be at max.”</p>
<p>Dani snickered. When Chief said ‘Poo’ he really meant Rho Theta Theta, PΘΘ, a local professional entrepreneurship fraternity whose members focused almost exclusively on starting up green, community-oriented businesses. With a poor choice of name. They liked to reserve the Garage for their annual alumni event.</p>
<p>Thursdays were usually off for her, but max capacity—per code—was seventy people. A nightmare for one bartender, but no problem for the Deja-Dani tag team.</p>
<p>“Can do, Chief. Is Roy willing to trade in next Friday?” Roy was the usual bartender who worked Thursdays. He had been working at the Garage for a few months but was under no circumstances ready for packed house. Roy was about Dani’s age with the maturity of a teenager and flare for the dramatics. He would take a five-minute break in the back to ‘refocus his chi’ if a customer told him their drink order was wrong.</p>
<p>Commitment and conflict resolution did not belong in Roy’s vocabulary. Dani was surprised he’d lasted to now.</p>
<p>“I told him you were taking his shift and that I was bumping him to Friday so he wouldn’t have to split his tips.” Good. Make it sound like they were doing Roy a favor by moving him. Which they were. Friday would be busy but more manageable for the flappable man.</p>
<p>They finished their respective tasks without a lot of chatter. Dani strolled into the back to take a quick look in the cellar so she could text Elliot without fibbing. <em>No luck, Bossman.</em></p>
<p>Before she could put her phone away, an unregistered but familiar number flashed across her screen. She scowled but answered it regardless, otherwise she was afraid he would just continue to call.</p>
<p>“Hello, this is Danielle.” She had better manners at a quarter to noon than she did hours past midnight.</p>
<p>“Ms. Strode, this is Augustine Montgomery of House Montgomery.”</p>
<p><em>Pretentious asshole. I know who you are.</em> Dani rolled her eyes because he couldn’t see her. Some manners only applied in person. “Yes, Mr. Montgomery. I recognized your number. What do I owe the pleasure of this call?”</p>
<p>“I was hoping to continue our conversation from last night after a restful night’s sleep,” he answered smoothly. Again, Dani was convinced he had to be using magic on his voice. It was warm and alluring which did not match the cold and hard expression she knew he wore on the other line.</p>
<p>“Our conversation?” she mirrored inquisitively, trying to draw more information from the man.</p>
<p>“Yes, Ms. Strode,” he said her name again, not quite patronizing but certainly exasperated. “Our conversation regarding you coming to MII to discuss the details of the kidnapping. I was hoping you would be more agreeable to helping solve the matter of the kidnappers’ location.”</p>
<p>She gave a purposeful pause. “We haven’t agreed to me coming anywhere to discuss anything, Mr. Montgomery.”</p>
<p>The thing was, though—Dani <em>had</em> thought more about their conversation this morning after she had slept. Last night, exhaustion made the idea of adult communication unappealing, so she had just shut down. Today, the more she thought about the situation at hand, the more unsettled she became. Why kidnap the children of one of the most influential Houses in Houston? Where did the two remaining kidnappers go? Were they aware of her existence and role in helping Montgomery retrieve his siblings? Were they actually following her?</p>
<p>“I believe it may be in your best interest to cooperate. We don’t have any information on their whereabouts and my men can only protect you for so long.”</p>
<p>Dani felt the beginnings of a headache. She rubbed at her temple. Her first instinct was to get defensive, tell him off that she didn’t need a protection detail, but reality—the one that involved Houses and kidnappings and frequent murders—reminded differently.</p>
<p>Then there was another consideration. This was the Head of a powerful House. He had an army—figuratively but possible literally—of investigators and soldiers doing groundwork, but he hadn’t been able to find his siblings. Even if it wasn’t phrased as a question, this man was asking for her help. A man like Augustine Montgomery was likely at his wits end. His extensive network of information had proved useless before, and if he was calling her again, it was because he hadn’t found any leads on the kidnappers. Again.</p>
<p>And she had found his siblings in less than twelve hours.</p>
<p>As much as she wanted to keep her distance from House affairs, she was not so blind to turn away the opportunity of having a powerful ally in her corner. Dani also knew she could never live with herself if anything happened to the Montgomery children and she had done nothing to stop it. Morals were a bitch.</p>
<p>Her head throbbed. “I’m fully aware of the dangers in the current situation. I’m also thankful to your men, but don’t act so righteous when you know there’s no guarantee that having your men following me isn’t painting a target on my back anyways.” She had no qualms calling him out. <em>I know you’re possibly using me as bait</em>.</p>
<p>She took a deep breath, in through her nose and out pursed lips. “I’ll meet with you, but I get to choose where.”</p>
<p>There was a long pause. Dani was sure she could hear teeth grinding. “That is acceptable.”</p>
<p>“Minuti Coffee. 909 Texas Avenue. Just to talk about yesterday, and I make no promises past that.”</p>
<p>“Also acceptable.” His responses were getting more clipped. Dani felt that more of his real voice was cracking through. She imagined Montgomery to be a more patient man with his line of work.</p>
<p>She gave him some concession. “What time works well for you? I’m off work today.”</p>
<p>“Three p.m.” It was a little after twelve now. That would give him more than enough time to stake out the place and likely have several members of his security team in place.</p>
<p>“Sure. I’ll see you then,” she replied.</p>
<p>“It was a pleasure talking with you, Ms. Strode.” His tone said it was anything but.</p>
<p>
  <em>Click.</em>
</p>
<p>After Montgomery disconnected, she sent Deja a text. <em>I’m continuing to make stupid decisions. Can’t talk about it, so don’t ask. Code Blue daily for the time being.</em></p>
<p>Dani and Deja had developed a color-coded check-in system for emergency purposes both in the bar and in personal life. Dani used Code Blue sometimes for dates where she got an <em>off</em> feeling about the dude. If Dani didn’t check in within twenty-four hours, Deja knew to call the police and her aunt.</p>
<p>Her phone pinged. <em>I swear to god Dani. I hope you know what ur doing.</em></p>
<p>Dani laughed with little humor. <em>So do I.</em></p>
<p><em>Be safe.</em> Deja wasn’t be happy, but she understood Dani.</p>
<p>She went back to the front and grabbed her purse off the hook. “Chief, I’m headed out! See you later!” she hollered. There was a rumbling answer from under the bar top where the bulky man was working on the pipes.</p>
<p>There was no obvious sign of the black Camry as she walked to her car. Montgomery must have told them to pull back to rattle her, show her that her protection detail was indeed temporary. Though as she slid into the driver seat, something pulled her magic’s attention under the car. A brush of her fingers along the frame found a small bump. Dani rolled her eyes. Despite pulling his men to scare her, Montgomery was still a paranoid man.</p>
<p>Glancing at the clock on her dash as she started the Altima, Dani made the decision to run a few errands before her meeting with the Head of House Montgomery. Work off some energy. While she knew she was doing the right thing, her nerves felt like a clamp squeezing down on her stomach. She always had such a visceral reaction to stress.</p>
<p>Only two hours to her meeting with a nauseatingly attractive and Machiavellian Illusion Prime.</p>
<p>
  <em>Fun.</em>
</p>
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